A World Apart
by grant5th
Summary: Days after the Reapers suddenly retreat from the worlds of the galaxy the crew of the Normandy tries to cope with the loss of Commander Shepard. Steve tries to stay strong but every glance from a concerned crew member, every mention of Shepard's name makes his death real. But how will the crew and the galaxy react when the Reapers return in the name of their old Commander?
1. The Many

**One: The Many**

"Eternal. Infinite. Immortal." The words echoed as thousands of mechanical voices spoke in concert.

Harbinger stood near a crowd of people as they all looked toward the great leviathan each of them stunned.

"The man I was used these words, but only now do I truly understand them. And only now do I understand the full extent of his sacrifice. Through his death, I was created. Through my birth, his thoughts were freed. They guide me now; give me reason, direction. Just as he gave direction and hope to the ones who followed him, the ones who sacrificed so that he could achieve his purpose; now _my_ purpose."

Admiral Steve Hackett watched from his flagship orbiting Earth, the Triumphant, looking at the massive central console, holographiclly projecting what everyone else connected to the extranet could see. The visage of a massive Reaper looking down on an unsuspecting crowed of people, all too paralyzed to move.

Everything around him seemed to stop as the massive construct continued to speak. The voice was mechanical and unsettling but he heard something else, something familiar, it was something he couldn't quite put his finger on. It left his expression perplexed but just as compelled as everyone else.

"To give the many hope for a future. To ensure that all have a voice in their future. To right the wrongs of the past; to provide a voice to those too weak to speak for themselves. The man I was knew that he could only achieve this by becoming something greater. I will rebuild what the many have lost; I will create a future with limitless possibilities; I will protect, and sustain; I will act as guardian for the many. And throughout it all, I will never forget. I will remember the ones who sacrificed themselves so that the many could survive. And I will watch over the ones who live on… those who carry the memory of the man I once was, the man who gave up his life, who fought to become the one who could save the many." The great creature, once the galactic executioner, continued.

"I am The Shepard"

Steve Cortez had been watching the footage like everyone else, after all there wasn't anything else to do, it seemed like the whole galaxy came to a stop when the lone Reaper appeared in the Sol System. But when it said those final words, Steve slammed into a wall of emotion. He felt his stomach flip, a strange metallic feeling built up in the back of his throat. His knees weakened, he was going to fall. By some strange miracle he kept himself upright, and professional.

Steve suddenly felt something else; like he was being watched. He turned to brace himself against the weapons modification console but when he did he found James Vega and the flight ops crew, not looking at the vid screen but rather at him. They, each of them, had the standard expression he'd gotten since Shepard had activated the Catalyst. The 'Is he going to be okay?' face. Realizing he had an audience and none too pleased with how they were looking at him he didn't dare show any weakness and resisted the temptation to brace himself.

Liara T'soni could hardly believe what she was seeing, her wall of vid screens flashed with statistical information, as she tracked Harbinger from the moment it entered the system to touch down planet side. The ship hand come into the system and landed so quickly they didn't have time to respond. By now she could see the fleet mobilizing and the Earth ground forces surrounding the great living, and apparently very vocal ship. What the Reaper was implying was startling, even unsettling to some degree. Was Shepard still alive? Could the Reapers be applying some new tactic? Or worse she thought; could Shepard be indoctrinated? The latter two didn't seem to make since, given the fact only a few days ago the Reapers had retreated from the galaxy's planets at the final hour of their almost-victory. She stopped trying to analyze the situation as Harbinger suddenly seemed to effortlessly float into the air and out into the Earth's atmosphere.

"Gleph, track that ships trajectory!" Liara demanded

As Harbinger left the planet the crew aboard the Triumphant suddenly went into action as the buzz of the CIC returned to a pitch pace. The massive ship had entered the system and landed in one of the few lightly damaged and newly high populated areas before the fleet had even had a chance to react – but now Admiral Hackett could stop this machine before anyone else could get hurt.

"All ships this, Admiral Hackett" his voice relayed to every ship in the system. "Lock all weapons and prepare to fire on my command!" he barked.

Cortez heard the order and continued combat preparations just as he had moments before the Reaper had landed on the plant and started transmitting. He didn't question it, not even for a moment, the Reapers had caused so much death and destruction, nothing they said could make up for that now. No good-will gesture could bring Shepard back. They could die, and he'd be content with that fate.

"Lock down those weapons!" Cortez pointed to one of the weapon lockers, as the two flight hands responded.

He ran over to a console "Activating shuttle mag-locks" he said as the two shuttles dock within Normandy were held suspended in the air.

Running out of the elevator as it opened up to the CIC and the huge Galaxy map, Liara was surprised to see Major Kaiden Alenko standing at the platform, looking over the tactical data streaming in.

"What's going on?" Liara demanded.

"Hackett's ordered an attack." Kaiden said abruptly. "Bring the forward cannon online and lock-on" he ordered.

"You can't be serous, the ship will jump to FTL before you can do any real damage – not to mention they just made an overture!"

"We can't be sure what they just did Liara. And really, do you want us to take the chance and find out?" Kaiden snapped.

Liara didn't have a response; there wasn't much to say other than that something told her it was wrong. She didn't know what, and after what the Reapers had done to her world she shouldn't trust them any more than the Major . But it wasn't a matter of trust after all, it just didn't 'feel' right.

Meanwhile the alarm klaxon's blared as the CIC on the Triumphant prepared the massive strike.

Hackett wasn't sure even the combined forces could do any real damage to Harbinger, from everything they had on that class of Reaper the ship was by far the largest and most powerful. He pushed the thought to the side; the ability of the fleet to do damage to the craft was irrelevant. He had a mission; protect the Earth protect the damaged Citadel.

"Sir!" one of the communication technicians yelled over the noise. "We have an incoming transmission, from the Reaper ship."

It was rare enough to have a Reaper speak, much less try and make contact with any ship with weapons pointed at it, any ship at all for that matter. Admiral Hackett wasn't convinced.

"What's their game?" he whispered to himself.

"Let's hear it." He ordered. The image of Harbinger filled the Admirals tactical display.

"Admiral Steven Hackett. We remember you. The Shepard. You are one of the many who made us possible." The all too frightening collection of voices piped through the comm. channel.

"You have committed acts of genocide against the civilizations of this Galaxy. You will stop all activity or be destroyed." Hackett commanded.

"Sir the ship is stopping." A female voice said from far off.

"We have ceased." Harbinger replied. "We mean you no harm. The old intelligence has been reborn. I exist now."

Suddenly a life size holographic image took form in the central command console. It was a blur of blue and white, with no real clear features, replacing the image of Harbinger displayed on Hackett's screens.

Harbingers voice shifted and changed as it spoke. Still speaking with many voices but something, different broke through, something human.

"I wish only to help the many, to right the wrongs. We will repair the damage to the Mass Relays, the Citadel, Earth, Thessia, Palivan. We wish to assist."

"We can't trust you." Hackett retorted.

"The Shepard has been told this before. Before our harvest. But you did eventually trust him after he had earned that trust, allow us that opportunity now."

Shepard's voice. That was the voice echoing in the background, the familiar humanity, Hackett finally realized.

"Allow us to repair the Charon Relay, as an example." The visage now moving closer to Hackett.

"Admiral Hackett, the Alliance colonies are in grave danger. The many are weak, starving, dyeing. We can help."

"Close the channel." Hackett ordered.

The blue holographic image vanished.

"Get me the Normandy, now!"

Kaiden, Liara, and EDI stood before Admiral Hackett in the comm. room. None of them knew how to react to what the Admiral was suggesting.

"Under normal circumstances I would blow that thing out of the sky, but what's suggested here could be sinister or it could be…" Hackett paused.

"Something else…" Liara continued.

"Yes, Dr. T'soni. But I don't like unknowns, and this qualifies." Hackett turned his attention back to the Major. "You and the Normandy have been on the front lines, know more about the Reapers than most. Not to mention the Prothean could provide us with some intel."

"Unfortunately Admiral, J'vak isn't the wealth of knowledge on scientific matters we'd hoped." Liara replied.

"We do have the Prothean Virtual Intelligence from Thessia. Perhaps it could be of some assistance?" EDI interjected.

Liara tapped her omni-tool as it came a live with data, from it sprang forth the holographic presentation of Vendetta.

"Extinction terminus in climactic stage. Preparing to disable." Warned the whirling ball of green energy.

"Wait." Kaiden demanded.

"We stopped the Reapers, our cycle isn't in immediate danger anymore!"

"Error. Reaper presence still detected."

"We deployed the Crucible but the Reapers didn't just die, they left, all of them. We need to know why. Does it have something to do with the Crucible?" Kaiden asked.

The glowing green ball of energy morphed into the image of the Prothean who had designed it. "The crucible was simplistic in its design. Our scientists discovered that at its core the device was nothing more than a massive power generation plant, with three key connection points to be driven into the Catalyst. We determined that each of these three connections was designed with three different wave length and power distribution qualities in mind. Some of these discharge points had more power flowing through it and at more static frequencies than the others. For what purpose? We were never able to discover."

"English?" The Admiral demanded impatiently.

"One moment" EDI said.

"I quickly scanned the Prothean data base. It appears that the Protheans theorized the different frequencies of energy released in a cascading pulse could have different effects on synthetic and organic life, or on the Reapers themselves." EDI replied. "These frequencies could be further refined depending on how intact the devise was upon being used. This is as far as their understanding goes."

"So it is possible that the energy wave had some effect on the Reapers we can't predict?" Liara confirmed.

"It is possible." EDI replied.

Admiral Hackett looked displease. Nothing he heard was definitive.

"That doesn't tell us anything that helps us with the current situation." Hackett looked over, somewhere outside the hologrid.

"The Reaper ship is still holding position but unless someone has something more useful, my orders stand." Hackett continued.

Liara intruded again, "Admiral, if what the Reaper is saying is true then they can repair the relay. I'm not sure even Asari engineers know how to do that and without the relays travel to and from the habitable planets in the galaxy could take decades, even with our fastest ships." LIara continued. "More lives are endangering now because of that fact than they seem to be from the Reapers. Not to mention what we now know about the Crucible's potential."

"Dr. T'soni, I'm not accustomed to being interrupted. And I am not about to make a decision out of fear because of what 'might be'." Hackett retorted.

Hackett thought for a moment and sighed.

"Major Alaenko. You and your crew have the resources and man power, the experience - god knows. What's your recommendation?"

Kaiden was taken aback by the Admirals question. Why was he asking him? Who was he to decide something like this? Liara looked at him and he knew instantly her opinion. EDI on the other hand he couldn't tell.

These were the big decision. He didn't know the score on this one. Shepard. These were the things he dealt with. If he was here now he'd know what to do. His thoughts went back to the events of the past few years. Each of the choices the Commander had to make, the lives saved or to let fall so others could survive. Kaiden didn't have any answers which left him with a question. What would Shepard do if he were here? Then it hit him.

"Let it fix the relay Admiral." Kaiden said after only a few seconds. "Redeploy the fleet and if it makes one wrong move, blow it out of the sky" he finished. He wasn't sure if Shepard would have made that choice, gambled this way, but he knew had Shepard been there what his advice would have been.

'Take the information you've got and do the best you can with it.' Kaiden remember him saying once.

Hackett nodded "Hackett out." He turned to his communications officer who instantly knew what he wanted.

"Transmitting, sir."

"This is Admiral Hackett. We will escort you to the relay. If you take any provocative action we will destroy you without hesitation."

A moment later Harbinger spoke. "The Shepard expects nothing less. We will begin the repairs immediately."


	2. Promised

**Two: Promised**

"We are all stuck here now! Decisions you make affect each of us!" Admiral Han'Gerrel Vas Neema explained.

A Salarian, Asarai, Quarian, Turian and Geth stood in holographic form in the Triumphant comm. room. They had been assessing and reassessing Admiral Hackett's decision to let the Reaper make its repairs. At the hour mark Hackett had his fill of the infighting but Earth still needed them. Fires could be seen from orbit and there were millions if not billions in need of aid, pissing the different delegations off wasn't going to help in the long run, so he let them talk themselves out. He knew they were on his turf, at least for the moment. He would let them bluster all they wanted, as long as it got him what he needed

"The decision to trust the Old Machines could be a miscalculation, Admiral Hackett." Geth Prime agreed.

Hackett knew it was a cold day in hell when a Geth and Quarian agreed.

"When we were being lead into battle, it was important to have a clear chain of command. You were chosen as our leader for obvious reasons; this is your world after all. However, as our time in this system grows we can no longer ignore that we may need to come up with a new system. We can't all be held hostage by the whims of any single person." Councilor Tevos chimed in.

"We mustn't be short cited here. Perhaps the Reapers have been changed by the Crucible. Admiral Hackett may have acted rashly, but in time we can learn something from this encounter." Said the Salairain Admiral.

"We can debate this all we want but the decision is made. The Reaper will have repaired the relay in the next two days. When it's done I'll send an unmanned probe through to see if it checks out." Admiral Hacktt interrupted.

The different leaders all looked at each other.

"Very well, but we will continue this discussion in the future." Primarch Adrien Victus replied.

Hackett turned to Major Alanko as the visage of the alien leaders disappeared. The major stood at sharp attention waiting on some less than pleasant words from his commanding officer. After all the hour long dressing down Hackett just got was mostly his fault. Then again, having to sit there and listen to it was punishment enough.

"Blow hards." The admiral said simply.

"At ease major."

Kaiden tried as best could to seem comfortable but it didn't quite work out that way, he still felt stiff. If Hackett noticed he didn't let on. He simply gestured for the major to follow him which Kaiden promptly did as they walked through the massive Situation Room of the Triumphant. The space put the Normandy's War Room to shame. At its center was holographic system map of Sol, it stretched from the ceiling to the floor and was at least three times the size of Normandy's central information network.

"I don't know for sure what we're going to get out of this Reaper but we know we can't fix the level of damage done to the Mass Relays, so for now if a Reaper wants to fix our problems I'm willing to let it." Hackett said as he walked through the massive room.

"But that little conversation isn't the only reason I brought you here. It's unusual for a solder to be in command of a naval vessel, but you know the crew and the ship and they all trust you so for now unusual will just be norm." Hacket snickered under his breath. "Hell, having Reapers talking to us seems to be the norm now." Hackett said stopping and turned to look at Kaiden.

"I have full confidence in you Major, just as Shepard did. He spoke very highly of you and the crew. I know you all were very close, so now, while you have a little time, rally the troops. Who knows what's coming next."

Kaiden nodded his head. "Yes, sir."

"Great, now get back the ship and standby for any orders. We may need the Normandy on insertion duty. We've got a lot of reports of looting and lawlessness planet side. Until we get a hold on the situation we could be doing more nation building and policing than anything else."

Tapping the pass code to get into Shepard's cabin had become something Steve's hands could do out of muscle memory at this point. Shepard had asked that they keep the relationship as discreet as possible but on small ship like the Normandy nothing traveled faster than stories about who was doing who. The code came in handy if they wanted to meet up on the fly or even when Shepard tried to put on his moves. He cooked, which came as a surprise to Steve the first time he came into the cabin with the smell of real steak greeting him at the door.

The door separated open, revealing the room mostly untouched since the last night they had spent together. The first thing to catch his eye was a picture frame, one Steve had never seen before. He moved closer to the desk trying to make out the image.

Down time had become the familiar enemy. Each moment he wasn't working on the shuttle thrusters or cleaning the weapons locker with Vega he found himself outside the cabin door. Wishing, hoping for it open without any effort, revealing a smiling Commander Shepard.

It never did.

He had promised.

The picture got clearer the more Steve walked until finally he realized Shepard had framed a picture of the two of them on Citadel a week before the mission to take down the Illusive Man's headquarters. He picked it up gently. The events of those few days had been oddly the best they'd had. Sure being shot at by someone who looked just like their lover wasn't something anyone would look forward to, Steve included, but Shepard had an extra bounce in his step since recovering the Normandy and throwing a party with all the crew. 'Finally' Steve had thought to himself at the time, 'the man gets to rest for a minute.'

Of course the rest wasn't forever and within a week they were drudging through hell and husks to defeat the Reaper. Just as Steve had predicted then, back on the Citadel before returning to the Normandy; Shepard had found a way out of the mess for the rest of them – just not for himself.

The tears snuck up on Steve, they swelled like a tide. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose hoping to hold them back, knowing if he let them go he might never stop. There was a mission to be done, he wouldn't disgrace Shepard's memory by falling apart now. Steve had promised himself.

"Lieutenant Cortez, there is a message for you on Shepard's private terminal." EDI interrupted. A flashing green light came alive on the console.

Slowly Steve replaced the picture on the desk. He dreaded what the blinking green light meant. Of course Shepard would leave a message, he thought to himself. He took in another deep breath and tapped the button. Slowly he found the courage to sit at the desk chair and leaned in to watch the screen.

Shepard's image appeared, a mirror of everything behind Steve filled the background. Shepard had recorded the message right in the spot Steve now sat. He ignored the shiver down his spine. The time stamp had been dated for only a few hours before the counter attack on Earth. Steve had been taking a shower. He could hear the faint droplets of water hitting the floor in the background.

The sneaky bastard, he thought to himself.

"Not sure I have enough time now to say what I need too. So I'll say this; I love Steve Cortez. You make me stronger by just being around. You give me someone to fight for, but best of all you give me someone to live for. I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know what I might face. But I do know I'll have you to guide me, to strengthen me. I made you a promise. I'll find a way back to you – even if I'm lost… I'll always find my way back." Shepard smiled, then tapped the console.

The image went blank.

Steve gulped for air as the image disappeared, he was barely able to breathe. He felt his heart smash against his lungs as if his insides were being pushed together. He tried to breathe again but it wasn't any easier the second try. Finally the torrent came and his eyes gushed with tears as they slipped down his face. With each tear his lungs felt less and less like a rubber band pulled too tight. He gasped again this time getting what he needed – his eyes filled again and again. The tears rolled out and onto the desk. Steve pulled his hands to his face letting out an inhuman yell.

"You promised." He said under his breath

"Liara, I have a question." EDI's disembodied voice sprang from somewhere over Liara working at her station.

"Oh? What is it?" Liara asked as she continued to work.

"Is there ever an appropriate time to discuss the private matters of a crew mate?"

Liara was confused, this sounded like one of the questions EDI would have asked Shepard. She had overheard her once ask about the importance of physical intimacy for humans in romantic relationships. Liara and Shepard had a good laugh about that on a mission once – she couldn't quite place which one.

A fond memory for later, Liara thought.

Either way Liara wasn't an observer of humanity or a participant in the same way Shepard had been. Why EDI would ask one of three non-humans on board about something like that seemed odd.

"Well it depends. I think sharing the intimate knowledge of people with the same information can be a great bonding experience. But this is an Asari trait; I'm assuming you would be referring to something related to human interaction."

"I am concerned about stepping over what Jeff calls 'the line' when it comes to an issue of a personal and sensitive nature. This 'line' seems to change from person to person and species to species, even time seems to play a factor." EDI explained. "So my question is, if you believe someone is in pain but refuses to say anything to those around them; is it appropriate to talk about it with others who might be able to help – even if this is clearly against the persons wishes?"

"I think the answer is; it depends. Maybe, if the right person is told they could help. But sometimes people have to seek out that help by themselves otherwise they won't accept it."

Then it hit her. Liara stopped working.

She looked up at the ceiling as if somehow this made it easier for EDI to hear her.

"Why?" she asked.

Liara stood outside the commander's cabin for a while. It was early morning and she'd been thinking about coming up all night, after EDI had told her everything she had been monitoring the night before.

Liara had been completely unaware of the relationship between Cortez and Shepard, at least until Shepard and her had shared their consciousness hours before the final push on Earth. It was in that moment she realized how Shepard had managed to survive to that point, to stay motivated and push forward despite the odds. He had found something to live for. Liara was positive the rest of the crew was less oblivious but humans were adolescent when it came to intimacy, at least from her perspective, so she gave the odd glances she caught Cortez and Shepard sharing as nothing more than human flirtation. She knew now how wrong she had been.

Liara wasn't sure she could help Steve the way EDI had hoped she could, except for a small detail; she was perhaps the only other person who knew how much Shepard had loved Steve, how important that love was to him.

She tapped the console at the door.

"May I come in."

She waited for a moment, there wasn't a reply.

"Uh… yeah, sorry… Come in." Steve stumbled.

The doors opened and Steve greeted her a few feet from the door, it was early morning and the man's face was twisted and his eyes glazed over from the sleep.

Sleep wasn't exactly what Cortez would have called it, after all being unconsciousness for 30 minutes at a time didn't really count.

"Dr. T'soni, I didn't realize…"

"It's okay Lieutenant. I'm here as a friend." Liara interrupted.

Steve looked at her, knowing what dreadful conversation was coming next.

Liara saw the picture of the two lovers sitting on Shepard's desk, Steve followed her glance.

"That's a great memory." Liara spoke softly.

"Yeah… the best…" replied Steve.

"What time is it?" he asked.

Liara smirked a little, knowing the pilot would immediately react.

"Zero-Five-Thirty"

"Oh my god! I have to be on duty in thirty minutes…" he looked around frantically for his socks and shoes.

Liara followed him into the main part of the cabin as Steve began to move blankets and items all around looking for the shoes. Liara saw a boot in the periphery of her vision near a shelf. She knelt down and found the other and picked them both up.

"Is this what you're looking for?" Liara asked.

Steve nodded, both frustrated and relieved. "Thank you" he said taking the boots out of Liara's hands.

Liara stopped him for a second, placing a hand on his right shoulder.

"Hold on for a moment. Sit with me."

"I really don't have the time; I have to report to duty." Steve replied impatiently.

Liara didn't say anything she simply looked at him.

Steve didn't need her say anything to know what she wanted. He nodded and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Now that I have you sitting down I'm not exactly sure what to say. At least I'm not sure what to say that others probably haven't already tried." Liara started slowly.

There it was, Steve thought to himself.

"Except for this; I know how much he loved you. How important you were to him. I know it better than most." Liara continued.

Steve gave her an odd look, he knew that most everyone knew about Shepard and him, even if they tried to be discreet but Liara wasn't the first person he thought of when thinking about people who knew how it felt to lose someone. Of course she probably deserved more credit than that, having lost her mother, her planet. Maybe they had more in common than he let himself believe.

"I know a lot of people have probably said something very similar. But it's different for me; just before the final attack Shepard and I connected, exchanged our memories, as only Asari are capable. I showed him the best parts of myself, of the friendship we had together, how he touched my life; and he showed me his own best moments. Amidst all the accomplishments he always insisted on shrugged off, or chalked up as something less than great, among the countless friends he'd made along the way, the singular shining beacon of his memory was you." Said softly.

Steve could feel the tears coming back. "I…" he sniffled, hoping to stem the tide.

"If you will permit me, I'd like to give you those memories. It'll only take a moment, and it may give you strength. I know it helps me, even now."

"What do I do?" Steve replied.

"Just stay still." Liara said kneeling down to Steve.

Steve nodded, giving permission. Liara gently touched his forearm, gently setting her forehead against Steve's.

"Close your eyes."


	3. A Dream

**Three: A Dream**

James very rarely had a few minutes before his shift to lounge around. But today was different, and he found himself sitting in the observation lounge looking out into space. Earth sat out against a field of stars, filling the window. He never visited the lounge area very often before the Normandy had returned to Earth but something about being back in the Sol system made him want to look out at the planet every chance he could.

The doors to the room opened with the familiar chime, Javik stepped through and stopped immediately.

"I can return." Javik said, turning to leave.

"Nah, it's okay." James replied.

Javik hesitated for a moment but he turned back and walked further in the lounge, very near the edge of the window.

"You must be very pleased to be back to your home world." Javik said, looking out at the great big ball of green and blue.

"Yeah, it's not the same as it was a year ago, but from up here you can't tell how bad things have gotten."

"You shouldn't take it for granted. The Reapers could be back any moment and take it from you." Javik replied.

James scoffed, "I take it you don't like the idea of letting the Reaper's repair the relays."

"I think we all won't live to regret it."

"You might be right, but for now I have to believe that _the Commander_ did something to make the hell of the past few months a thing of the past. For right now, I'm going to let it be enough."

Javik nodded in understanding and stared out at the stars.

"I told the Commander that once this war was done, and all the Reapers had felt the vengeance of my people, I'd return to the place of my falling comrades and joining them in the great victory." Javik spoke as if he was somewhere far off into the distance.

"Oh?" James replied, he wasn't really surprised, after all Javik was a pretty extreme guy.

"The Reapers are still alive – I won't rest until they've all been destroyed."

"Cortez to Vega." Steve's voice came over the intercom. "Mr. Vega, I hope you're not hitting up an early morning cerveza, because I've got a mission you might like."

"Esteban! You had me at mission. See you in five." James replied. James stood walking over to Javik.

"I'll leave you too that then."

* * *

"Why not just let them send a probe? And why the hell do you think I'd want to co-pilot?"

Steve turned to the console near him pointing at the display.

"Hey, I won't let you get behind the controls on any of these shuttles, not after what happened last time. Leave the flying to me, I'll leave the brute strength thing to you." Steve mocked. "A probe can only tell you so much about traveling using the mass relays. A pilot can tell you if the matrix is aligned well enough for a human to compensate for any flux, and if we send a manned flight we can head to the planet's surface and make contact with the colony. Which is where you'd come in. If something need to be shot or stomped, or wants to challenge you to a pull up competition – you'd be there." Steve replied.

"And I'd beat it every time." James smirked.

Something was different about Steve. James could see the sadness, Steve wore it on his face, his eyes – but he seemed reinforced, stronger than he'd seen him since the news of Shepard.

James had been on the final mission with Kaiden when they approached beam to the Citadel, he and Steve hadn't talked about it, but there was a part of James that had wished he'd ignored Shepard's final order to retreat with the Normandy. If he had been able to go with Shepard, maybe he'd been able to do something. Maybe he could have spared Steve the loss this second time.

"Convince the Major and I'm in." James smirked.

"Well…" Steve said trailing off.

"Well what?"

"That's what I was hoping you could help with too." Steve replied "If I go to the Major with this he'll probably dismiss it some kind of death wish – but this is the best plan to learn as much as we can."

"I don't know about all that Esteban but I see you're point." James waited for moment, thinking.

"Boyscout and I go back, I'll talk to him." James replied.

"But if we find ourselves in a fire fight with a damn Reaper because you couldn't let this one go, I'll kick your ass!" James replied as we walked to the elevator.

* * *

Kaiden stood on the bridge, taking a place behind the pilots seat as Joker tapped the Normandy controls.

"EDI make sure we stay in contact with the shuttle at all times." Kaiden ordered.

"With the exception of the shuttle being in transit we should be able to maintain contact once the shuttle is on the other side of the relay." EID replied.

"Good. Major Alenko to shuttle, are you two good to go?"

"Everything checks out. Once we're on the other side we'll make contact with the colony and get their status." James replied.

"Everything looks good on our end, ready when you are." Kaiden reported.

"Opening bay doors. Thruster engaged" Steve began tapping away at the Kodiak controls, the ship trusted forward and out into open space

"We're clear, heading to the relay." Steve reported.

"Just make sure we get to the other side in one piece. That's an order" James said jokingly.

"Aye, aye." Steve replied the twinge of sarcasm barely hidden in his voice.

Steve activated the external cameras, the view of the repaired and functioning relay filled the screen. Harbinger took up a position close to the relay but far enough away so that it didn't seem too imposing.

Kaiden watched as the shuttle got closer the relay, he wasn't sure if letting Steve and James go on this mission was the best idea. He had faith in both of the men and knew they could get the best information about how effective the repairs had been. The Alliance also needed information on Eden Prime, a person to person contact would be more valuable than any scan done by a probe. Contact with any of the Alliance systems had been shut down since the blast let out by the Crucible. Now was a chance to make contact with one of the Alliance colonies.

"Major, we've got a problem; Harbinger has set an intercept course on the shuttle!" Joker reported.

"We are being hailed." EDI chimed in.

"We have detected organic life on the shuttle. Admiral Hackett said a probe would be sent through the relay." The mechanized voice spoke an odd urgency.

"This is Major Kaiden Alenko of the Normandy, you will stand down and allow the ship to pass or we will open fire!" Kaiden demanded.

"We mean no harm. However the shuttle could be in danger."

"You said there was no danger?! We have one of our best pilots on this mission, if there is a danger than it can only be because of something you've done."

"You misunderstand, there is no danger in transit however the…" Harbinger stopped. "Who is the pilot?"

"The Kodiak has already entered the energy matrix." EDI reported. "Major the Reaper ship has stopped transmitting, and has set a course to the relay."

"Reaper ship, stand down or…." Kaiden was interrupted as he watched the ship disappear through the relay matrix.

The Kodiak quickly came through the other end of the relay.

"There was some minor instability but from what I can tell…" Steve was interrupted by a barrage of explosions right in front of the shuttle.

Steve reacted with a speed James had never seen before, evading each new destination. Power conduits in the shuttle holding bay exploded as one impact after another grazed the small ship.

"What the hell!?" James yelled over the blaring klaxons and explosions.

"I'm only reading Alliance IFF, they must think we're some of…"

"I don't give a shit what they think!" James yelled tapping the comm. panel in front of him.

"This is Lieutenant James Vega of the Normandy, stop your attack! I repeat you are firing on –

Suddenly a Reaper ship dropped out of FTL, then another, and another.

"I'm detecting something coming up from behind us, through the relay… It's that big one from Sol." Steve replied. "The Reapers seem to have gotten the Alliance ship's attention; they're not firing on us anymore."

"How many Reaper ships?" James asked.

"Including the big guy, I'm detecting 5. Scratch that, more jumping in; I've got 7…" Steve looked at this console in frustration, "Correction – fifteen Reaper ships."

"Shit…" "They've lock weapons on each of the shuttles." The Reapers main cannons opened up, as the core of the ships became read hot and discharged." "Locking on weapons!" James yelled. But before James could do anything Harbinger filled their screen, through the auditory emulators they could hear the all to familiar sound of its forward cannon powering up. By the time Steve reacted the massive power of red energy filled their view. Power in the shuttle went out and everything was black. James and Steve held their breath – expecting to feel the hot incineration of the beam, but there was nothing. Everything was just darkened in a red huge. Power systems flickered back to life one by one. "I don't have helm control but systems are normal." Steve reported. "What?" James was amazed, adrenalin pumping. He wanted to rip something apart.

"Looks like all the ships are experiencing the same thing. I'm not detecting any weapons fire or explosions. The Reapers didn't destroy a single ship." Steve replied. "Get a message to the Alliance, tell them…" James's voice began to slip away as if he was moving further and further from Steve. Steve looked around, everything was getting blurry, he felt dizzy, and everything was spinning. Was he falling? He couldn't tell exactly but his eyes were getting heavy, he tried to force them to stay open but he quickly lost the battle. "Steve!..." James voice diapered. "STEVE" The chorus of mechanical voices was familiar but foreign at the same time. "What…." Steve could barely speak, he felt drowsy, like those nights after going shot for shot with James at Purgatory. "Wake up." Another voice said softly. This voice was familiar but combined with others, a child? A woman? Shepard? At the thought of Shepard, Steve forced his eyes open. He was standing in a space of pure white, everywhere blanketed in a strange fog. Steve could make something else out, a figure in the distance. "James! Is that you?!" Steve yelled out.

"You are in The Memory. James Vega is not with you now." Harbinger replied.

"What the hell is this place?!" Steve demanded. "Who is that?!"

The figure drew closer in what seemed like slow motion.

"This is the place where The Shepard exists." Harbinger replied. "It is difficult to explain."

Steve could feel his face flush and heat up. His insides melting under the pressure. He felt the visage out in the distance getting closer, his heart jumped.

"Whatever you're doing it won't work! I'll die before I let you indoctrinate me…"

"We no longer indoctrinate. We only communicate. We are relieved you are unharmed."

The figure was closer now; Steve could see more of it, dressed in some kind of armor. It was still too far to make out, but it was tall, build was like a man, clean cut hair, it was…

Steve took in a deep breath as the sudden rush of emotion overtook him, his lungs smashed against the rest of his insides. He couldn't believe it, wouldn't believe it.

"STOP!" Steve demanded, extending his hand out, hoping the mere thought would push the figure back.

The figure did as he asked for a second then continued forward, moving slower than before.

"It's all right. I know this is difficult." The visage said, voice in chorus with others.

"No, no, no, no… This…"

The visage got closer and closer until finally there could be no mistake – it was Shepard. He continued to move closer to Steve, who stood paralyzed. Shepard was only a few feet away now; Steve couldn't blink or move, he forced himself to remember to breathe.

"Hello Steve." Shepard said affectionately, his voice stood alone.

James pulled at Steve collar, checked his pulls.

"Come on, Esteban! Wake up!" James said anxiously.

"Come…. Esteban… up…." James' voice in the distance, the fog echoing it throughout the white void.

"James?" Steve said under his breath.

"What's going on?" Steve looked at Shepard frantically.

"This is the only place you and I can be alone. I exist here now, since the Crucible." Shepard said softly, reaching out his hands.

"I don't understand…." Cortez said softly taking a step forward, gingerly taking Shepard's hand. He was warm, alive. Steve could feel his pulse. He wished, hoped it was really him. He could smell the commander's after shave. How was this possible?

"I know. There isn't a lot of time. But it'll all get explained." Shepard replied, "Ive missed you." He whispered softly.

Steve stood, completely memorized by everything. Shepard's warm hand; rough with the memory of a thousand battles, touched Steve's cheek, sending a shiver of joy everywhere. Steve could have melted into the man's hand; he lifted his own hand up, overlapping Shepard's. Shepard brought Steve closer into a snug embrace, gently bringing Steve's forehead to his.

"It may not have been what you expected but I tried to keep my promise." Shepard whispered.

Steve smiled, letting out deep breath. When he looked up he felt Shepard's hands disappear, the man was instantly pulled away into the white fog.

Steve's eyes opened in the Kodiak as Harbinger's beam dissipated and the massive ship joined a group of other Reapers ships and quickly disappeared into FTL.

James was looking at Steve, concern filled the man's face.

"Jesus, I thought I'd lost you there!" James exclaimed.

Steve was wide awake but all he could do was stare at the spot where Harbinger had been. James looked concerned.

"You okay?"

"No." Steve replied. "We need to get back to the Normandy…"


	4. Hope

**Four - Hope**

The elevator doors opened to reveal the memorial wall, Shepard's name plate sorrowfully greeted Steve as he stepped out into the corridor. He stopped, looking at the plate, examining its every detail. Steve remember the day they put it up. They knew by that point that Shepard was MIA, and everyone had wanted to believe that Shepard was still alive somewhere. He had a knack for surviving after all. But as time went on it became clear that he wasn't coming back. The smoothness of the nameplate was an illusion. It was a composite of a number of different mettle pieces, symbolizing the Normandy crew. Steve hated putting up the shrine, not because Shepard didn't deserve it, but because now it was the first thing to greet him when he'd enter the crew deck.

To make it all the worse Steve was completely pre occupied by everything he'd just experienced on the mission to Eden Prime. After the Reapers left the system the alliance flotilla explained their reckless attack on the Kodiak. Apparently the Reapers had been entering system near the relay and the rag tag group of ships had assembled to prevent the Reaper from coming further into the system. They simply opened fire when the shuttle came through the relay without realizing that a friendly ship had jumped through. James gave the Alliance Lieutenant in charge of that little venture the worst dressing down Steve had ever seen. He'd seen James angry before but Steve almost had to stop him from bashing the young doe-eyed officers' head in.

Then there was Shepard. Steve couldn't figure out whether or not to tell James about what had happened but he knew he'd have to explain it in his report. James had asked him half dozen times to tell him what was going on but Steve found a way to evade the question each time. Steve knew that wouldn't last long but it would last long enough for him to figure out what to say. He didn't understand it himself, really. Was what he experience real? It had felt real. Not just Shepard's touch or smell, but there was something more, his texture, his aura, the feeling of truly being with him there in that odd white washed world. It felt as real as any other time they'd spent together. Of course no one else might have believed it, Steve himself could barely believe grasp it all.

"I was there the last time…" Jokers voice interjected Steve thoughts.

Steve shook his head as if clearing the fog.

"Oh. Sorry. I didn't see you."

"I get it." Joker replied

"You where…?" Steve tried to carry on the conversation.

"The last time" Joke paused. "We lost him."

"Twice now I've had to leave him. Twice, I've felt responsible."

Steve looked at the man, hunched over clearly in pain at the mere effort of standing.

"I feel like I should say sorry, that I couldn't do more this time."

Steve shook his head. "We both knew what we were getting into. I walked head long knowing full well the kinds of situations he put himself in."

"Knowing doesn't really make it easier. Hell EDI jumps headlong into the worst possible situations I can think of all the time. And there I am sit'n my chair up on the bridge." Joker replied.

"Knowing sure as hell doesn't make it easier."

"No. It doesn't." Steve turned to look back at the nameplate.

"You don't need me to tell you this but we're all here..." Joker paused "You know…" replied

"I know."

"Major Alenko to Lieutenant Cortez, please report to the War Room for mission debrief." Kaidan's voice came over the com.

"Be there in a moment, sir." Steve replied.

"Jeff, we will be approaching the supply depot in a few moments. Your presence is required on the bridge." EDI's called from the corridor panel.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be right there." Joker replied. "Duty calls and all that…"

Steve walked into the War Room. Major Alenko, Liara, James and Garrus assembled around the central console.

"Lieutenant, Mr. Vega was just tell us a little bit about what went on at Eden." Kaidan greeted.

Steve took up a position next to James facing the Major.

"It was eventful." Steve said curtly.

James eyed him knowingly.

Liara shifted uneasily "Without a doubt."

"What about Reaper activity."

"From what the team on Eden had to say they had been very active with the relay, doing repairs. It's one of the reasons the taskforce opened fire on us, there were expecting another Reaper ship." Steve explained.

"I gave Lieutenant Jackwad a piece of my mind. We were almost torn apart by their barrage."

"Everyone was under a lot of stress." Garrus replied.

Kaidan sighed "Okay. Enough skirting around it." He said looking at Steve.

"What happened on the shuttle when you lost consciousness?"

Steve turned to James then back to Kaidan.

"I don't know." Steve replied.

"I know we're all under a lot of stress right now, maybe it would be best if you took some…"

"No." Steve intruded.

Kaidan immediately stiffened, taking a more commanding appearance.

"Sorry, sir. I mean I don't need time off. I just…" Steve paused. "I really don't know how describe…" His voice trailed off.

Liara walked around the large console, she stood next to Steve now.

"What is it?" Liara asked, seeming to sense that something wasn't right.

Steve looked up at the group.

"After the Reaper locked on to us everything went dark. When the systems came back online I didn't have helm control. Nothing responded. Then I felt lightheaded, dizzy. I slowly started to fade in and out." Steve paused. "Everything went dark, and then I heard a voice. I open my eyes and I was in this place."

"He was there." Steve took a deep breath, "Shepard was there."

The room looked around each checking with each other.

"Shepard?" Gaurras question.

"I know how it sounds but… He told me that he lived there now."

"Goddess…" Liara exclaimed.

"Within the Reapers?" Said suspiciously.

Steve nodded, to the disbelief of the others.

"I know what it sounds like." Steve preemptively rebutted. "And I can't explain it but, I know it was him.

Everything I've learned tells me to suspect otherwise but when I was there, with him, I knew for sure."

Everyone paused, no one knew what to say next.

"We could be looking at some kind of new indoctrination…" Gaurrus interjected.

"After all Shepard has is all but a messiah to the people of Earth. They could be using his image in so scheme to indoctrinate the population"

"So what Steve experienced is nothing but at tactic?" Liara asked sharply.

"What else could it be Liara?" Kaidan questioned.

"From what we know about the Crucible's potential it is entirely possible that Shepard's consciousness has been transmitted throughout the Reaper network." Liara shot back.

"Hold on. Are we really talking about this?" Garrus asked.

James looked at Steve, he could see his friend drained with every word the others said. They had begun to argue and philosophies. He resented how everyone was talking over each other while Steve stood their dying a little bit each time they spoke.

"How about we stop arguing and figure out what the hell is going on?" James burst.

Everyone stopped talking.

"I mean, fucking hail one of them and get to the bottom of it." James contused.

"They've been acting strange ever since the Crucible went off and maybe Blue over there is right and it did something to the Reapers. Maybe it is Shepard, maybe not. But were not going to figure it out sitting here arguing it to death like a bunch of pendejo politicians."

Everyone looked at each other.

"He's right." Kaidan admitted, looking at the group

"Major Alenko, we have transmission from Admiral Hackett on vidcom." Samantha Traynor's vice intruded.

"I'll be there in just a second." Kaidan replied.

"Major I'd like to take a second and…" Steves didn't really know how to finish the sentence

"Of course."

* * *

Major Alenko, James and Liara stood at the vid console as Admirla Hackett presented a new crisis.

"The Citadel remained largely intact, somehow. But when the Crucible discharged it did do significant damage to the structure. A few of the arms detached from the central ring and now the whole damn thing is in an unstable orbit."

"How unstable?" Kaidan asked.

"We're predicting it will fall into the mesosphere in a week, and it'll only get worse." Hackett replied.

"By the goddess…"

"Wait what? Wont most of it burn up in the atmosphere?" James asked

Liara turned to him, shaking her head. "Most the martials that make up the Citadel are so durable they won't break up."

"That's right." Hackett interjected. "And the Citadel is so large if even one of the arms hits the surface…" Hackett's voice trailed.

"We're talking about an extinction level event." Liara continued.

"What's the plan Admiral?" Kaidan asked

"The Asari have been working with the Salarians on a project involving graviton manipulation using mass effect fields projected over close range ship to ship distances. We're equipping as many ships as we can with these prototypes, the hope is we can use them to reduce the Citadels mass allowing us the ability to apply enough thrust to push the Citadel into a more stable orbit."

"That sounds like a long shot…" Kaidan replied.

"What hasn't been so far?" Hackett replied. "What we need is for the Normandy to install this new prototype and see what you and a detachment of ships can do to decrease the Citadel's mass. Once that's done we'll use the cruisers to apply as much thrust as possible."

"We can't possibly do that for every piece of the Citadel." Liara replied.

"Your right Dr. T'soni, that's why we are going to focus on the larger pieces and project the impact zone of the smaller ones so we can evacuate the zones." Hackett answered.

"Very well sir, we'll get to it." Kaidan replied.

"Hackett out."

Kaidan turned to James

"Go let Tali know we may need her help."

"I'll stop by the bridge also and let Joker know."

"Yeah, he's not going to be very happy with engineers poking around the Normandy's systems."

"I will temper his nerves, Major Alenko." EDI

"Wow, okay too much." James smirked as he left the vid room.

* * *

The engines of his shuttles were the one thing that could distract Steve from everything that had gone on since Eden Prime. He tried to help with the Graviton Manipulator, but the physics were a little above him. Sure, if he had more time to look at it all, he'd eventually get it. There wasn't much about a machines Steve couldn't understand given some time but right now he preferred the straight forward problems. Not that those didn't have their own challenges. What he was doing now was perfect example. He wanted to increase the yield of the forward particle canons on the Kodiak. Sure the ship wasn't built for combat but the number of times Steve had wished he been flying his Trident since they left Earth showed him something had to be done. The problem was each time he would try and syphon a little power from one place it would destabilize the power conduit that connected the two systems. He'd realign the conduit but each time they would depolarize and had have to start all over.

He'd have to start all over. He would have to get over it, rebuild, reassess, reconnect.

Steve felt a shock smack his hand, sending a vibrating pain all across his body.

"Damn!" he yelled, pushing himself out from under the shuttle.

"You all right over there Esteban?" James called over.

"Sure if I could get my head out of my ass!" Steve scolded himself.

James walked over to his friend, helping him up off the floor.

"How 'bout you go a little easier on yourself , eh?" James offered with a small

"Now I have to deal with you feeling sorry for me too?" Steve spat.

"Wow now." James replied. "You get to be angry, but biting my head off and being pissed at yourself isn't going to solve anything." James turned and walked away.

Steve sighed. "I'm sorry"

"It's no big. I get it. Just, ya know, remember we're all going through something when comes to losing the Commander."

* * *

The Normandy took its place among the stars, position itself in the huge shadow of one of Citadel's arms and Earth. Other ships did the same, each of differing configurations and styles.

"All hands this is Major Alenko." His voice came through the comm. system. "Find yourself a seat, we're about to deploy the graviton beam."

On the bridge, Kaidan turned to EDI. "Everything check out?"

"All systems appear nominal. I believe the integration was successful."

Joker turned to Kaidan. "I can't believe I'm the only one who realizes we just installed a tractor beam on this ship. I mean a real life, beam-me-up-scotty, tractor beam. Ha."

"Jeff, you have said a variation of the same thing seven times now. I think we get it." EDI replied

"Well let's see whose there next time you have a question about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Jeff scoffed.

"The detachment is in position, all ships report ready." EDI reported

"All ships, activate graviton beam." Kaidan ordered.

An odd hum filled the Normandy's corridors, Kaidan could feel the artificial gravity give out for a fraction of a second as everything rebalanced and the ship stopped shuttering.

Each of the other ships began to glow in a blue hue, extending out like tentacles to the Citadel arm, embracing it. The blue energy cast a shadow over the arm until the whole structure was engulfed.

"We have a solid lock." EDI announced. "Mass Effect field stable for transit."

"Take it slow." Kaidan advised.

Joker tapped at the console as the ships and station slowly crept back into Earth's orbit.

"We're doing it." Joker smirked.

Kaidan stepped forward to watch as the small flotilla moved the massive arm. Suddenly he was thrown to the ground as an explosion rocked the Normandy. Klaxons began to blare; Kaidan could smell burnt plastic in the air. He quickly stumbled to his feet.

"What the hell happened?" Kaidan demanded.

"I have detected a feedback pulse of some kind. Analyzing." EDI report

"The rest of the detachment?"

"I'm not detecting any…" EDI was interrupted by a massive flash of light as the shockwave of an explosion smashed the ship's hull causing smaller power outages on the bridge.

"All ships deactivate the graviton beam!" Kaidan ordered "EDI you're with me"

"Damn. What do we do now?" Joker sighed.

Kaidan turned to the CIC; "Traynor, get me Admiral Hackett."

* * *

"From what I have been able to analyze the Citadel itself is reasonable for the feedback pulls that overloaded the ships systems and resulted in the destruction of SSV Crazy Horse." EDI reported.

"And we don't know anything else about how?" Hackett questioned.

"We're working on theory now Admiral but given what we know about the Citadel's origin it's possible the station is set to automatically defend itself when tampered with."

"That's a leep." Hackett responded.

"Yes, sir."

Hackett's blue visage turned away from the Major, as if being called away in the distance.

"Bridge to Major Alenko. Harbinger has just entered the system and is on an intercept course with the feet." Joker's voice came over the comm system.

"I assume you're seeing this Admiral?" Kaidan asked.

"We are. Assume battle positions, Major. Hackett out."

"All hands battle stations!" Kaidan order as he ran out of the vidcom room.

"That it is one nasty looking bastard." Joker commented.

Kaidan quickly walked onto the bridge, taking a place behind Joker.

"It is approximately twice the size of any of the other Reapers and its power output far exceeds anything I've ever seen from a mobile platform." EDI responded. EDI looked at her controls, cocking her head slightly she turned to the Major. "You are being hailed, by name."

"Creepy…" Joker said ominously.

Kaidan looked out at the ship in the distance. It was no doubt thousands of kilometers away but still the ship created a clear void in space where the light of the stars couldn't be seen. The thought of speaking to that thing sent shivers down his spine.

"Let's hear it."

"This Major Kaidan Alenko of the Normandy. This is the second time you've entered this system despite our warnings."

"Allow us to help. The Citadel poses a great danger to the life in this planetary system." Harbingers ominous voice replied.

"The last time we trusted you two of our officers we're shot at. It's not something we take lightly."

"The Shepard understands." Harbinger replied, pausing, "But the danger is much greater than you realize. The Citadel is of the Old Intelligence, it is preprogramed to respond to sabotage or tampering of a certain kind, including moving it without the proper technological intercede. In addition is equipped with micro-element zero cores throughout the structure to make sure that even smaller, damaged sections can prevent the kind of activity you were attempting. They remain inert until needed. You're actions have inadvertently activated them."

"Can you shut them down?" Kaidan asked.

"I have already done so." Harbinger replied.

"Then we don't need your help."

"If you attempt your procedure again it will result in the arm breaking apart due to sheering forces." Harbinger warned. "The micro-cores activated a light kinetic barrier, which held the station together and allowed a countermeasure feedback pulse. However without the power of the cores your efforts will break the arm apart resulting in greater danger to the planet."

Kaidan scoffed. "And you expect me to believe that?"

"Kaidan. I know it is not easy for your to trust my words, but The Shepard cannot allow the people of Earth to be destroyed."

Kaidan filled with rage at the mention of Shepard.

"How dare you use his name! He died to stop you from destroying everything!" Kaidan shook his head "I'm not going to surrender that just because you think you understand him, for some elaborate trick."

"I have not tricked you. I have acted as The Shepard wills. I have acted as he would." Harbinger paused. "But we will not make you do anything Kaidan. We simply wish to help. We know you as The Shepard knows you. We await your answer."

"They closed the channel." EDI reported.

* * *

Kaidan walked past the consoles and the controls of the CIC, each person diligently doing the things he'd come accustom to them doing. He opened the checkpoint door between the CIC and War Room greeting Private Westmoreland and Campbell as he paused for a scan, moving past the checkpoint into the conference room where his team was assembled.

"We don't know what any of it means!" Garrus said emphatically.

"Garrus could be right, James" Tail tried to cool the conversation down.

"I'm not saying I buy it, I'm just saying if there is anyone who could do something like this it's the Commander." James replied.

Kaidan took a place around the table standing next to Liara and Traynor. Collected were the rag-tag group assembled once to save the galaxy – now it seemed to save themselves from imploding.

"It comes down to if we're willing to bet on that Mr. Vega." Kaidan replied.

"I am, sir." James replied.

Kaidan looked at all the others around the table; Liara, Garrus, Tali, Javik, Joker, EDI, Steve and Dr. Chakwas.

"Hackett has informed me that the provisional Council wants me to attend a meeting to discuss our options. As a Specter, what I say could sway what happens next so I need it all out on the table. Everyone's ideas" Kaidan spoke.

"The Reapers are masters of deception and manipulation. Trusting them in any way speeds our own demise." Javik spoke.

"He's right. Once we let the Reapers feel like we trust them they could strike us." Garrus agreed.

"That doesn't explain why they suddenly left Earth in the final battle, they had all but won. A few more moments the galaxy's fate would have been sealed." Liara rebutted.

"A part of the tactic?" Kaidan asked, looking at Garrus.

"Hell. I wouldn't put it past them." He replied.

"We're missing something. " Tali interjected.

"After all the Crucible did fire, it was real, it overloaded half our systems, damaged the Crucible, the relays, even the QEC. So what did it do?"

"Well the QEC's work fine but the discharge from the Crucible filled space with some kind of background radiation that's slowly dissipating. That low-level radiation is what's interfering with communication. It will dissipate in a few weeks and we'll have communication back online."

"The point?" Garrus replied.

"If the crucible is capable of showering the galaxy in a low level radiation what tells you it couldn't transmit Shepard's memories or his troughs to every Reaper in the galaxy?"

"The theory does fill all of the established facts." EDI agreed.

"She has a point." Tail looked at Garrus, search for some sign he might agree.

Garrus shook his head.

"Unfortunately both theories fit established facts. It is a fact an energy beam of immense power showered the galaxy with a kind of radiation that we can explain. It is also true the Reapers are capable of this level of deception – we have witnessed much of the same." Dr. Chakwas.

"Agreed." EDI nodded to the Doctor. She turned to Joker "Jeff, you have been uncharacteristically silent."

"Yeah. Honestly the idea of a bit of Shepard being spread all over the galaxy to be made part of the Reapers freaks me out. Weather that's for the good everyone or not; I don't know. But what I do know is the Commander had to be responsible for the discharge of that weapon, hell the Reapers we're going to pull their own plug. So the way I see it the Commander had to make some kind of choice. I don't think he'd choose to do something that put us all in danger." Joker paused. "I have to go with James on this one."

Kaidan looked at Steve who had remained distant from the conversation.

"Cortez?" he asked knowingly.

"I know what I felt." He said simply.

"The Reapers use fear and paranoia to get what they want. Those things fracture us, they keep us running. But when I was… wherever I was, and whether it was Shepard or not – I didn't feel that creeping sensation of death. I felt hope, and warmth. I felt sure that things could be better, that things would eventually get better." He paused looking around the room, "Who here hasn't felt that before? When Shepard was here with us?" He shrugged "For me that's all the evidence I need."

* * *

"What is being suggested here is outrageous! We cannot continue place our trust and our very lives in the Reapers! Need I remind the Council it wasn't but a week ago they threatened all life in the Galaxy." Admiral Han'Gerrel slamed his fist into the diesis.

Assembled on the Quarian live ship, in one of their artificial arboretums, the Council decided to make this their temporary meeting place. The location was idyllic, Kaidan thought to himself – the people in it were a whole other story.

"I don't think this Council needs reminding the price that was paid in blood to be here, Admiral." Hackett shot back.

"All the Korgan in the Galaxy will have to die before we accept help from those creatures out there, but if this Council feels as if their aid to the humans is worth it, I won't stand in the way." Wrex spoke out.

"The Turian Hierarchy cannot support any alliance or bargain with the Reapers, not after the carnage on Palivan. The public would be incensed." Primarch Victus spoke; "The thought of it… is repulsive."

Kaidan fidgeted in his chair as the other the new, and oh so ever improved Council did what they knew how to do best; bicker. He found himself looking up at the artificial sky, filled with what he assumed were advanced synthetic clouds above, and a beaming point of light, like sun. He didn't really care if it was fake – it fooled him enough to look up and absorb the warmth. Suddenly his name pulled him out of his day dream.

"Specter Alenko?" Councilor Tevos' voice broke through. "You seem to have something to say."

Kaidan stood, to address the Council.

"Yes Councilor, I do. Thank you." He continued.

"The fact of the matter is we don't know what the Reapers are up to, but what we do know is they could have easily destroyed our mission to Eden Prime, or allowed our team to be destroyed out of a miss understanding. What we know is that they have fixed at least on link in the relay network, saved members of my crew without harming a single human life, and now they offer to help everyone on Earth. If this part of elaborate plan to wipe us out, it wouldn't make since to stop this extinction. It goes against everything we've seen from this so far." Kaidan paused, searching for his words.

"Now, to the issue I think that disturbs each of us… Is this Shepard at work?" Kaidan walked closer to the dais, "I don't know the answer to that. What I do know is he showed us, each of us, what it means to work together for the common good. And I know that if anyone was capable of what is be suggested it's him, and I think each of you know it too." He looked at Hackett then at the rest of the Council. "I recommend we trust."

Tevos looked at the rest of the council.

"Spector Alenko may have point. Whether we all like it or not we are all stuck in this system for the foreseeable future, until we can either repair the relays ourselves, which could take decades or we reach a wider agreement with the Reapers." Tevos turned her blue eyes to Admiral Hackett, then back to Kaidan.

"I'd suggest a recess for us all to consider our options."

"Agreed." Replied Dalatrass Linron.

Each of the Councilors came down from the dais to their respective cohorts of politicians and diplomats. Admiral Hackett walked straight over to Kaidan who stood waiting for him in the center part of the meeting room.

"Was it just me or did Tevos just suggest being on our side of this one?" Kaidan, asked.

"The Asari reputation has been damaged by their cover up of the Prothean beacon on Thessia. She sees that no matter how this turns out the Alliance is going to be in a particularly powerful political situation when the dust settles in a decade or two and is trying to sure up some political capital for when that time comes." Hackett answered.

"I hate to think about politics at all much less in the timeframe of decades." Kaidan replied.

Hackett let out a slight laugh at that as we walked with Major into the corridor.

"The real problem politically is the Geth and Quarians. Ever since their peace the two have been keen not to let their political agendas start another war. Even Han'Gerrel has been keeping the Geth up to speed. And the Geth seem to be fairly peaceful in their own right but where one of them goes the other always follow. They'll vote as a block and right now, that's a vote not in favor of helping us."

Kaidan shook his head. "It's a different time when those two are getting along."

"Right." Hackett said stopping and turning to the Major. "I understand Admiral Tali'zorah might be able to help us with the Qurians and Admiral Krois seemed to have a good working relationship with Shepard. Use that to see if we can't sway things a little." Hackett suggested.

"Tail?" Kaidan couldn't help but to wonder how helpful she could been. Of course he knew Tail to be capable on the battlefield but she never seemed too comfortable in her new leadership role and Quarian standards she was very young to be an Admiral.

"From the intelligence I get she has been racking up quite a few political points within the Quarian fleets, she's acting as ambassador to the Geth now." Hackett furrowed his brow "I'm suppressed you didn't know."

"She has been coming and going from the Normandy a lot, I just figured it was homesickness." Kaidan replied.

"Well either way it's a win-win for us and her people." Hackett replied. "I have another mission for you though." He stopped in the corridor, facing Kaidan now.

"What about the Council?" Kaidan replied.

"The Council will be in a holding pattern for a while and we've got a situation on Earth I think you're team is uniquely capable of handling. Urdot Wrex has the details, meet in the docking bay when you're ready." Hackett expanded.

"Understood, sir." Kaidan replied.

"Also, I know it's not very ceremonious but I'm advancing you to Lt. Colonel."

Kaidan stood, stunned at the words.

"You've done an amazing job with the Biotics division, you did amazing work back on Earth, and commanding the Normandy under unbelievable circumstances. Not to mention all the other crap that's been thrown at you over the last three years. If it weren't for the fact that you'd of equaled Shepard in rank the defense committee would have approved your promotion weeks ago."

"I don't know what to say sir, except that I'll continue to do my best." Kaidan replied.

"Good… Colonel." Hackett reach out his and which immediately met Kaidan's. "You're a little out of dress." The Admiral eyed Kaidan's rank insignia, "You should stop by the quartermaster before heading planet side."

"Uh… yes sir."

Everything seemed move in slow motion as the admiral walked away from Kaidan who was still in shock about his promotion. But it was more; he suddenly felt everything that had happened over the past few weeks. From the horror on Horizon to the final attack on Cerberus, the push on Earth, getting word that Shepard was dead, being put in command of the Normany. He felt like that scared to death kid that went down on Eden Prime with Shepard four years ago. Kaidan took in a sharp breath, and then excelled it slowly.

"Let's go Alenko." He whispered to himself.


End file.
